What makes a circuit famous? It can be because of the track itself, if a location delivers consistently amazing racing or develops admirers from among the riders that compete there. It can be because of the fans themselves: passionate or rabid, people turning out in droves to see racing first-hand is a truly amazing sight to behold. Sometimes, it’s a combination of both.
In the case of Mugello I’d say there’s a fair argument for both being true. The Italian circuit is nestled into a gorgeous part of the country and has all the elements of a classic bike racing circuit. A physical and technical midfield section is complimented by the enormous start-finish straight, meaning riders have to be both fast and smart to do well here. Then there’s the fans: the locals are completely crazy about racing and will party on and off the circuit all weekend. Flares go off, sirens get blasted, and the cheering can be heard even from the international broadcast.
However, one element of Mugello’s fame and success has eluded it of late. This was the home track of the legendary Valentino Rossi, and the locals were obsessed with him. Every year the Italian would show up with a once-off helmet design and treat his fans to some spectacular riding regardless of whether he won or lost. His fans would in turn paint the town yellow in his honour and chant his name from every corner of the circuit. It was an incredible sight to behold, and something that you don’t really get at any other track or with any other rider. There have been plenty of Spanish superstars to divide the fans at Jerez or Catalunya, but there is only one Rossi.
Problem is, Rossi retired at the end of the 2021 season. His insane bike posse had no hero to cheer for in 2022, and as a result the attendance numbers were significantly lower than previous years. Even accounting for the reduced numbers we’ve been seeing in a post-covid world, it felt as though the grandstands were even emptier in Italy than in most other locations visited by the world championship last year. Even though Rossi was in attendance for the ceremony of retiring his racing number (which was and still is a foolish exercise, mind you), the world noticed the loss of MotoGP’s Italian God for the first time in all seriousness.
So, will the fans return to the Italian hillsides in 2023? You would hope so, given the season we’ve had so far. Ducati has a stranglehold on this championship, the Italian manufacturer currently having five riders in the top six of the championship, and there are Italian riders currently first and second in the championship. Not only that, but the ones leading the charge are all graduates of Rossi’s own academy: Pecco Bagnaia, Marco Bezzechi and Luca Marini all came up through the junior classes supported by VR46, and the later two currently ride for Rossi’s team in the MotoGP class itself.
If Italian MotoGP fans wanted to find a new hero to support, they’ve got options, which is something I can’t imagine complaining about. Their modern-day King may be gone from the sport, but he paved the way for a new generation to take his place, and that will guarantee his legacy lives on long after his flags leave the grandstands for the last time. It may not happen this year, but eventually we will see a return to those same packed, manic grandstands Mugello has historically seen.
Now, onto the race weekend itself. MotoGP returns after several weeks off for a European triple-header to cap off the first half of the season, and the stakes are high for everyone involved. Thanks to quite a bit of drama in the opening five rounds, the championship is currently wide open: the top riders have scored less than a hundred points each, yet there will be a total of 111 available over the next three weekends. Should any one competitor have a standout performance in the month of June, they could find themselves right back in the mix regardless of their previous fortunes.
The best part of the recent break is that we’re seeing the return of a huge swathe of injured riders. Ducati welcomes back Enea Bastianini for the first time since his Portimao crash (ignoring the single day he spent on track in Jerez), while RNF Aprilia duo Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez have also been declared fit to compete. The riders who were wiped out last time in Le Mans are also back in action, including Marini and Bagnaia. The only name on the injury roster who remains side-lined for now is Pol Espargaro, who is aiming for a return to racing sometime later in the triple-header.
Shockingly, this means we will have the closest to a full grid we’ve seen all season so far on Sunday, assuming no riders injure themselves in the interim. With 21 of the 22 riders fit to ride, the weeks off since Le Mans have clearly worked wonders in terms of the rest and recuperation provided to the grid. This is exactly why teams and riders were so shocked when the original calendar contained no Summer break: this sport is gruelling, more so than ever before, and riders need time to heal and prepare for future races. There will be many members of the grid thankful that the Kazakhstan grand prix ended up being canned, I imagine.
If we’re talking about factors set to impact the weekend, then the forecast has to get a mention. I made the mistake of hedging all my bets on the rain arriving in Le Mans, so I won’t be making that mistake again, but it’s worth mentioning that as I write this there is expected rain on both Saturday and Sunday, set to impact qualifying as well as both races. The same rules apply from last time out if the rain arrives: the riders that can best find the line between taking risks and crashing out will be the ones rewarded with results. Expect it to be yet another twist in the tale of 2023 should it tip down this weekend.
I mentioned earlier the lengthy straight at Mugello. It’s a mainstay of the circuit, and part of the reason most top-speed records for the category have been set here, but it also often decides the results of races. Slipstreaming and horsepower are pivotal parts of a winning race strategy at this track, which will be music to the ears of the Ducati riders. Despite all manufacturers looking competitive this season, Ducati still commands a significant advantage in straight-line speed over their rivals, showcased on several occasions already this season. You have to feel that whenever we hit the final straight this weekend, the Bologna bullets will kick into an extra gear over their rivals.
So, who’s going to take top honours this weekend? Looking at the Ducati armada, the names that stick out are the ones who have had the most success in recent weekends. Bagnaia and Bezzechi both have two wins apiece from the first five grand prix, while Jorge Martin has been a sprint specialist who is looking for his first feature race win since 2021. All three men will be looking to hit the ground running here and retain top honours in the championship over the next few weekends, recognising that this could be a fantastic base for a title tilt. You also can’t forget Bezzechi’s teammate Marini as a home hero, and I would keep an eye on Alex Marquez should he avoid being wiped out by another rider’s mistake.
From the other manufacturers, Binder and Miller have been standouts this year for KTM and should continue moving from strength to strength here, but I would also keep an eye on Aleix Espargaro. The Spaniard has had a quiet start to the year but is an Aprilia stalwart, and had a brilliant ride here twelve months ago among a number of arguably faster Ducati men. It’s unclear exactly what has been holding him back this season, but it appears that the Noale brand is missing some of the sheer consistency they showed last year, and should he find it again I expect him to come roaring back into the championship in impressive fashion.
And that’s really the story you should expect from this weekend: last call for anyone who wants to put their name into the hat for the 2023 championship. Thanks to all the injuries and quirks of the first 5 rounds there’s no clear definition between the top riders and those champing at the bit behind, so it’s very much game on for all riders and manufacturers, but by the end of this trifecta of races it will be obvious who is and isn’t in contention for the crown at the end of the year. Deliver in Mugello, and Sachsenring and Assen could provide even greater rewards. Lose here, and the season may start to unravel before your eyes. Best of luck to all.
Solomon Talks Bikes 